In an active matrix liquid crystal display device, a plurality of pixels are arranged in rows and columns, that is, in a matrix array. Each row of the matrix of pixels shares a gate wiring connected to the gate electrodes of thin-film transistors (TFTs). Each column of the matrix of pixels shares a data wiring supplied with a data signal. The signal on the gate wiring on/off controls the thin-film transistors, such that, when the thin-film transistors are on, the signal on the data wiring is supplied to the liquid crystal material to modify the optical characteristic of the liquid crystal material.
FIG. 19 shows a typical pixel configuration in an active matrix liquid crystal device. Each row of a pixel matrix shares a common gate wiring 10, whereas each column of the pixel matrix shares a common data wiring 12. Each pixel includes a thin-film transistor 14 and a liquid crystal cell 16, arranged in series between the data wiring and a common electrode 18. The thin-film transistor 14 is turned on or off by a signal supplied to the gate wiring. Hence, the gate wiring is connected to the gate electrodes of the thin-film transistors 14 of the row associated with the pixel in question. Each pixel includes a storage capacitor 20. This storage capacitor 20 has its one end connected to the next gate wiring, previous gate wiring or to a further wiring for storage capacitor. The storage capacitor 20 stores electric charge to retain the voltage at the liquid crystal cell 16 even after the thin-film transistor 14 is turned off.
To apply desired voltage to a liquid crystal cell to acquire the needed grayscale level, a relevant signal is supplied to the data wiring in synchronization with an address signal on the gate wiring. This address signal turns on the thin-film transistor 14, thereby charging/discharging the liquid crystal cell to desired voltage and simultaneously charging/discharging the storage capacitor in keeping with the signal charge applied to the data wiring.
An address signal turns the thin-film transistor 14 off. The storage capacitor 20 retains the voltage across both ends of the liquid crystal cell 16 during addressing of other rows. The storage capacitor 20 reduces variations in the liquid crystal cell voltage due to leakage during the off-time of the thin-film transistor 14, capacitive coupling or to variations in the dielectric constant of the liquid crystal.
Each row is addressed in succession so that all rows will be addressed during one frame period.
FIG. 20 is a plan view showing the configuration of a typical active matrix liquid crystal display device. In FIG. 20, the address signal is supplied by a gate driver circuit 30, whilst the data signal is supplied to a pixel matrix 34 by a data driver circuit 32. FIG. 20 shows a rectangular active matrix liquid crystal display device.
Patent Document 1 discloses a non-rectangular display device. FIG. 21 depicts a plan view of a non-rectangular display disclosed in this Patent Document.
The display device of this Patent Document 1 includes an array of pixels, a gate driver circuit part, indicated by R, and a data driver circuit part, indicated by C. Each pixel is addressed by the gate driver circuit and the data driver circuit part, connected to a related row wiring and to a related column wiring, with the array of pixels being of a non-rectangular configuration. The display device also includes at least three of the aforementioned gate driver circuit parts and at least three of the aforementioned data driver circuit parts, arranged along the outer rim of the array. These gate driver circuit parts and data driver circuit parts are alternately arranged along the outer rim of the array of pixels. These gate driver circuit parts and data driver circuit parts may be formed on the same substrate as that on which the pixels of the display device are arranged. For example, the pixels and the driver circuit parts may be fabricated using the polysilicon process technique.
[Patent Document 1] JP Patent Kohyo Publication No. JP-P2005-528644A